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SB 375

by Katie Valenzuela — last modified July 12, 2009 03:45 PM

Senate Bill 375, authored by Senator Darryl Steinburg, was passed in 2008. The main objective of this bill was to build on the authority over green house emissions given to the Air Resources Board (ARB) through the passage of AB 32 by directing them to set goals that the local and state government agencies could then incorporate into their planning processes.

Specifically, this bill seeks to coordinate the actions of metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) and the ARB by incorporating a Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS). A region's SCS must be a plan for meeting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, and the projects in compliance with that region's SCS will gain California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) streamlining incentives. Furthermore, a region's plans for its transportation must be in accordance to its SCS.

SB 375 also ties housing and transportation planning, as well as allows for increased public input into MPO planning activities.

Pros:

Sets benchmark goals of carbon emission reduction within the different regions of California.
Sustainable Community Strategies will lead regions to incorporate housing needs, transportation alternatives, and regional targets for carbon emission reduction into their already existing planning structures.
Promotes a regional perspective in planning activities.

Cons:

Lack of enforcement or penalties for a region's failure to comply with their Sustainable Community Strategy.
No existing regional government structure to facilitate a regional planning process.

Center for Regional Change

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SB 375

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